The Village Council of Forest Park voted at Monday night’s meeting to reduce the hours alcohol could be sold in retail liquor stores. The village codes did not specify opening times for prepackaged liquor stores, although liquor cannot be sold in Forest Park after 2 a.m. and before 7 a.m.
No liquor can be served in restaurants and full bars with licenses in classes A2, A6, B2 and C before 11 a.m. But some liquor stores open earlier than restaurants, and this led to neighbor complaints of “bottles and bags” left on lawns, Commissioner Chris Harris said at Monday’s meeting.
“I’m always very cautious about limiting a business’ ability to earn money,” Harris said but added that neighbor complaints about “quality of life” made him decide to vote not to allow package good stores to open until 11 a.m. Closing hours are 11 p.m. for carry-out liquor establishments, according to the new ordinance.
